then
gliding down the path that led from the stout merchant's house to the
south side of the village, they entered the woods that lined the shore,
like two men bent on a purpose which might or might not be of the
blackest possible kind.

"I don't half like this sort of work, Sambo," observed Thorwald,
speaking and treading with less caution as they left the settlement
behind them. "Ambushments, surprises, and night forages, especially when
they include Goat's Passes, don't suit me at all. I have a strong
antipathy to everything in the way of warfare, save a fair field and no
favor, under the satisfactory light of the sun."

"Ho!" said Sambo, quietly; as much as to say, "I hear and appreciate,
but having no observation to make in reply, I wait for more from your
honored lips."

"Now, you see," pursued Thorwald, "if I were to follow my own tastes,
which, it seems to me, I am destined not to be allowed to do any more in
the affairs of this world, if I may judge by the events of the past
month,--if I were to follow my own tastes, I say, I would go boldly to
the prison where this pestiferous pirate captain lies, put double irons
on him, and place a strong guard round the building. In this case I
would be ready to defend it against any odds, and would have the
satisfaction of standing up for the rights of the settlement like a man,
and of hurling defiance at the entire British navy, at least such
portions of it as happens to be on the island at this time, if they were
to attempt a rescue--as this Bumpus hints they are likely to do. Yet it
seems to me strange and unaccountable that they should thus interest
themselves in a vile pirate. I verily believe that I have been deceived;
but it is too late now to alter my plans, or to hesitate. Truly, it
seemeth to me that I might style myself an ass, without impropriety."

"Ho!" remarked Sambo; and the grin with which the remark was accompanied
seemed to imply that he not only appreciated his master's sentiment,
but agreed with it entirely.

"You've got eleven men, I trust. Sambo?"

"Yes, mass'r."

"All good and true, I hope--men who can be trusted both in regard to
their fighting qualities and their ability to hold their tongues."

"Dumb as owls, ebery von," returned Sambo.

"Good! You see, my man, I _must_ not permit that fellow to escape; at
the same time I do not wish to blazon abroad, that it is my friend Henry
Stuart who is helping him. Neither do I wish to run the risk of killing
my friends in a scrimmage, if they are so foolish as to resist me;
therefore I am particular about the men you have told off for this duty.
Where did you say they are to meet us?"

"Close by de point, mass'r."

A few minutes' walk brought them to the point, where the men were
awaiting them. As far as Ole could judge, by the dim light of a few
stars that struggled through the cloudy sky, they were eleven as stout
fellows as any warrior could desire to have at his back in a
hand-to-hand conflict. They were all natives, clothed much in the same
manner as Sambo, and armed with heavy clubs; for, as we have seen,
Thorwald was resolved that this should be a bloodless victory.

"Whereabouts is the boat?" whispered Ole to his henchman, as he groped
his way down the rocky slopes toward the shore.

"'Bout two hondr'd yards more farder in front," said Sambo.

"Then I'll place the men here," said Ole, turning to the natives, who
were following close at his heels. "Now, boys, remain under cover of
this rock till I lead you on to the attack; and, mind what I say to
you,--_no killing_! Some of the party are my friends; d'ye understand? I
don't want to do them a damage; but I do want to prevent their letting
off as great a villain, I believe, as ever sailed the ocean under a
black flag--only his was a red one, because of his extreme
bloody-mindedness, no doubt, which led him to adopt the color of blood.
We will attack them in the rear; which means, of course, by surprise;
though I must confess that style of warfare goes much against the grain
with me. There are just four men, I am told, besides the pirate. Our
first onset will secure the fall of at least two of the party by my own
cudgel; and, mark me, lads, I don't say this in a spirit of boasting. He
would indeed be but a poor warrior who could not fell two men when he
took them unawares and in the dark. No; I feel half ashamed o' the work;
but I suppose it is my duty. So you see there will be just two men and
the pirate left for us to deal with. Four of you ought to be able to
overcome the two men without drawing blood, except, it may be, a little
surface fluid. The remaining nine of us will fall on the pirate captain
in a body. You will easily know him by his great size; and I have no
manner of doubt but that he will make himself further known by the
weight of his blows. If I happen to fall, don't look after me till you
have overcome and bound the pirate. The ropes are all ready, and my man
Sambo will carry them."

Having delivered this address to his followers, who by their "Ho's" and
grins indicated their perfect readiness to do as they were bid, Ole
Thorwald left them in ambush, and groped his way down to the beach,
accompanied by Sambo.

"Did you bring the chain and padlock. Sambo?"

"Yis, mass'r. But you no tink it am berer to take boat away--pull him
out ob sight?"

"No, Sambo; I have thought on that subject already, and have come to the
conclusion that it is better to let the boat remain. You see they have
placed it in such a way that as long as daylight lasted it could be seen
from the settlement, and even now it is visible at some distance, as you
see. If we were to remove it, they would at once observe that it was
gone, and thus be put on their guard. No, no, Sambo. I may not be fond
of ambushments, but I flatter myself that I have some talent for such
matters."

The master and servant had reached the beach by this time, where they
found the boat in the exact position that had been indicated by John
Bumpus. It lay behind a low piece of coral rock, fastened to an iron
ring by means of a rope, while the oars lay in readiness on the thwarts.

Sambo now produced a heavy iron chain, with which the boat was speedily
fastened to the ring. It was secured with a large padlock, the key of
which Ole placed in his pocket.

This being satisfactorily accomplished, they returned to the place of
ambush.

"Now, Mister Gascoyne," observed Thorwald, with a grim smile, as he sat
down beside his men and pulled out his watch, "I will await your
pleasure. It is just half-past eleven; if you are a punctual man, as Jo
Bumpus led me to believe, I will try your metal in half an hour, and
have you back in your cage before one o'clock! What say you to that,
Sambo?"

The faithful native opened his huge mouth wide, and shut his eyes,
thereby indicating that he laughed; but he said nothing, bad, good, or
indifferent, to his master's facetious observation. The other natives
also grinned, in a quiet but particularly knowing manner, after which
the whole party relapsed into profound silence, and kept their midnight
watch with exemplary patience and eager expectation.

At this same hour the pirate captain was seated in his cell on the edge
of the low bedstead, with his elbows resting on his knees and his face
buried in his hands.

The cell was profoundly dark,--so dark that the figure of the prisoner
could scarcely be distinguished.

Gascoyne did not move for many minutes; but once or twice a deep sigh
escaped him, showing that, although his body was at rest, his thoughts
were busy. At last he moved, and clasped his hands together violently,
as if under a strong impulse. In doing so, the clank of his chains
echoed harshly through the cell. This seemed to change the current of
his thoughts; for he again covered his face with both hands, and began
to mutter to himself.

"Aye," said he, "it has come at last. How often I have dreamed of this
when I was free and roaming over the wide ocean! I would say that I have
been a fool did I not feel that I have more cause to bow my head and
confess that I am a sinner. Ah, what a thing pride is! How little do men
know what it has cost me to humble myself before them as I have done!
yet I feel no shame in confessing it here, where I am all alone.
Alone?--_am_ I alone?"

For a long time Gascoyne sat in deep silence, as if he were following
out the train of thought which had been suggested by the last words.
Presently his ideas again found vent in muttered speech.

"In my pride I have said that there is no God. I don't think I ever
believed that; but I tried to believe it, for I knew that my deeds were
evil. Surely my own words will condemn me; for I have said that I think
myself a fool, and does not the Bible say that 'the fool hath said in
his heart there is no God?' Aye, I remember it well. The words were
printed in my brain when I learned the Psalms of David at my mother's
knee, long, long ago. My mother! what bitter years have passed since
that day! How little did ye dream, mother, that your child would come to
_this_! God help me!"

The pirate relapsed into silence, and a low groan escaped him. But his
thoughts seemed too powerful to be restrained within his breast; for
they soon broke forth again in words.

"Your two texts have come true, Pastor Mason. You did not mean them for
me; but _they were sent_ to me. 'There is no rest, saith my God, to the
wicked.'--No rest! I have not known rest since I was a boy.--'Be sure
your sin shall find you out.' I laughed at those words once; they laugh
at me now. I have found them out to be true, and found it out too late.
Too late! _Is_ it too late? If these words be true, are not all the
words of God equally true? 'The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth
us from _all_ sin.' That was what you said, Pastor Mason, on